Launch of high-speed train line between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem delayed

To the disappointment of thousands of Israelis, Israel Railways announced on Wednesday that the launch of the high-speed Jerusalem-Tel Aviv train line has been postponed by six months due to the lack of certain safety permits.

Israel Railways announced Wednesday that the launch of the country’s long-awaited high-speed Jerusalem-Tel Aviv train line has been postponed by six months. The route is supposed to link the two major cities in record time, covering the 54-kilometer (about 33.5-mile) distance in 28 minutes.

The delay was attributed to the lack of certain safety permits. “The company is stating that at the moment, not all the necessary regulatory permits to launch the route for commercial use for passengers have been received,” Israel Railways said in in the statement it sent to the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. “Due to this, the company estimates that the launch is expected to be delayed by some six months, subject to the receipt of all the aforementioned permits.”

In January, Israeli Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz announced that the express train line will become fully operational in March. “This Passover, we will make it possible for all of the Jewish people to flock to Jerusalem,” Katz said. Passover this year begins at the end of next month.